Abstract: Chlorimuron-ethyl is widely used in agricultural production activities. Long-term and heavy usage leads to its residues in the soil, posing potential ecological risks to the ecosystem. In a pot experiment, germination rate and plant growth index of sesbania, a green manure plant, was examined. Soil chlorimuron-ethyl content and microbial community structure were analyzed. The tolerance of sesbania to herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl, its remediation effect on chlorimuron-ethyl contaminated soil and influence on soil microbial community were studied. The results showed that sesbania exhibited high tolerance to chlorimuron-ethyl (≤1 mg·L^-1) and significantly reduced the residual amount of chlorimuron-ethyl in the soil. Under the 0.4 mg·kg^-1 chlorimuron-ethyl treatment, sesbania increased the richness and diversity of soil microbial community. However, their richness and diversity in sesbania rhizosphere soil was decreased under 1 mg·kg^-1 chlorimuron-ethyl treatment. Furthermore, sesbania increased the quantity of actinomycetes and acidobacteria in the rhizosphere soil, with the most significant effect being observed in actinomycetes.

Key words: phytoremediation, chlorimuron-ethyl, sesbania, microbial community